Burkina Faso prefect killed ‘by jihadists: sources

A top official in Oursi, a town in Burkina Faso bordering Mali, has been killed by suspected jihadists, sources said Tuesday.

“Armed individuals shot the Oursi prefect, Patrick Kabore, at his home, which was also set on fire,” a security source told AFP.

The body of the prefect — the government’s highest representative in the area — was found not far from his official residence after the attack which took place at around 11:00 pm (2300 GMT) Monday, the source added.

“A thorough search is underway to apprehend the individuals” whose identity and the number have not been determined so far, said a police source, who added, “it is surely jihadists.”

According to sources, the residence of the prefect — a police officer by training and stationed there since July 2016 — was the target of an attack last March.

Previously spared by armed groups active in the Sahel, Burkina Faso has been hit by increasingly frequent attacks in the north over the past three years.

An official report found 133 people have been killed in 80 attacks in the region. The capital Ouagadougou was hit by three jihadist attacks in two years, leaving nearly 60 dead.

In recent months around 100 people were arrested and explosive devices neutralized during search operations in the eastern and northern regions.

About The Author

Globe Afrique’s News Desk coordinates and analyses news stories from around the world as well as the gathering or distribution of news.
Globe Afrique, a US-based institution, is Africa’s leading investigative media entity. The institution’s researchers, analysts, reporters, and contributors deeply investigate and report on a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. The institution, which sometimes spends weeks or months researching and preparing investigative reports, also researches into social and legal issues. Have a news tip, write to globeafriquellc@gmail.com